Device for making drill pipe connections



Jan. 16, 1940. L. J. HOPKIINS DEVICE FOR MAKING DRILL PIPE CONNECTIONSFiled Jan. 13, 1939 ATTORNE tted Jan. 16, 1940 STATES PATENT OFFICEDEVICE FOR MAKING DRILL PIPE CONNECTIONS pcraticn of DelawareApplication January 13, 1939, Serial No. 250,766

4 Claims.

ltlly invention relates to a device for making drill pipe connections.

lin drilling oil wells, hollow drill pipe is employed, which is rotatedby suitable means. The circulating fluid is pumped down through thehollow drilling pipe and out of the bit carried at the bottom thereof.The fluid flows upwardly between the drill pipe and the annular spacethereabout, and is removed from the well for recirculation. As the Wellbecomes deeper, additional lengths of drill pipe are coupled to thedrilling string already in the well. The drill pipe sections areprovided with enlarged ends internally threaded for the female joint atone end, and externally threaded for the male portion of the joint atthe other end.

Heretofore it has been customary to thread the section of drill pipeadded to the drilling string already in the hole by means of an endlesssoft rope applied in coils around the pipe itself. Several turns of ropewere takenand led to a cathead, or other powered means. Tension wastaken on the rope and as the rope was pulled, friction between the coilsaround the drill pipe would cause it to turn to make the screw joint.

Lubricants and wear frequently cause the rope to slip badly, so that itwas necessary to take an increasingly greater number of turns around thepipe. In order to assist in preventing the rope from slipping, it wasnecessary to hold the rope against the pipe. This frequently resulted inaccidents and injury to personnel. A soft or hemp rope was required toobtain the necessary friction. This wore badly, requiring constantreplacement.

One object of my invention is to provide a simple and expeditious devicefor making drill pipe connections, in which spinning in, or rotating thesection of drill pipe to be connected by the screw joint is expedited,requiring reduced time and effort.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device for enabling drillpipe connections to be made in a manner presenting greater safety topersonnel.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the followingdescription.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms part of the instantspecification, and which are to be read in conjunction therewith, and inwhich like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in thevarious views;

Fig. l is a view of my device positioned about the female drill pipecoupling member at the upper end of a drilling string, held in place byslips, with the lower end of the drill pipe section to be joined to thedrilling string in place above the drilling string.

Fig. 2 shows the position or". parts as at the end of the spinning inoperation.

Fig.3 is a view taken along the line 3-3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5, Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawing, a cylindrical body member l is formed witha lower flange 2, and provided with a radial slot 3. The inside diameterof the cylindrical body member I is slightly larger than the diameter ofthe drill pipe joint collar 4, around which it is to be positioned inuse. The radial slot 3 is slightly smaller than the diameter of thedrill pipe collar 4, but slightly larger than the diameter of the drillpipe 5 proper. To the upper end of the body member 2 is secured a yoke 6carrying arms 1.

Counterbalanced suspending lines 8 are secured to the arms I so that theassembly will remain in any desired position to which it is moved. Aradial gripping member 9 is positioned in the body member for radialmovement. The member 9 is wider than the wall of the cylindrical bodymember I, and is provided along its inner edge with teeth In. A red I lis adapted to hold the gripping member 9 in position. A spring l2normally urges the gripping member outwardly. The flange 2 is providedwith an opening through which the end of a soft laid wire rope l5 may besecured by means of a knot B, or the like. A number of turns of the wirerope are passed around the body member I. These turns are adapted tomove the gripping member 9 inwardly, enabling the teeth ID to grip thedrill pipe collar.

In use the device is moved laterally around the projecting end of thedrill pipe 5, it being understood that the drilling string is supportedfrom the turntable I4 by slips, or in any other suitable manner known tothe art. The slot 3 permits this lateral movement to take place. Theassembly is then raised to the position shown in Fig. 1 around the drillpipe collar 4. The spinning line 5 is then wound around the body memberl by rotating the body member. A section of drill pipe IE to be coupledis then lowered so that the male thread I! thereof will engage thefemale thread I8 of the drilling string. The assembly is then raised tothe drill pipe joint collar l6 of the section of drill pipe Hi. Thespinning rope I5 is then pulled by means of a cathead or any othersuitable means. This pull tightens the coils of the rope I5 and forcesthe gripping member 9 into engagement with the drill pipe joint collar56' against the action of the spring l2.

Pull on the line l5 will rotate a drill pipe section It, completing thejoint. The yoke 6 is relatively rotatable with respect to thecylindrical body member i. The line I5 is then slackened and the springI! will move the gripping member to a position disengaging the drillpipe joint collar. The device is then lowered to a position around theprojecting end of the drilling string 5 and laterally removed fromtheassembly. The joint is finally tightened by tongs, the slips removed anddrilling proceeds until another section of drill pipe is to be added.

It will be seen that my assembly facilitates spinning since the torqueis applied along an increased radius as compared with the diameter ofthe pipe, enabling the spinning to proceed more rapidly and with lesseffort. Safetyin operation is assured as all men may stand clear ratherthan holding the rope against the pipe, as has heretofore been thepractice. Excessive wear and replacement cost of the spinning rope iseliminated since wire rope maybe employed, rather than soft hemp rope. Apredetermined number of turns may be takenaround my device, enablingeach joint to be tightened with a proper degree of tightness.

It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are ofutility and may be employed without reference to other features andsub-combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of myclaims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made inaiszsee details within the scope of my claims without departing from thespirit of my invention. It is, therefore," to be understood that myinvention is not to be limited to the specific details shown anddescribed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A device for making drill pipe connections including in combination acylindrical body member, said body member being formed with a cutawayportion enabling it to be moved radially about a drill pipe, grippingmeans carried by said body member adapted to engage said drill pipe,said gripping means having a portion extending beyond'said body member,an elongated flexible member wound around the outside of said bodymember and contacting said extending portion of the gripping means, theconstruction being such that tension upon said elongated flexible memberwill actuate said gripping means to grip said drill pipe and to rotatesaid cylindrical body member to rotate the drill pipe.

2. A device as in claim 1, including in combination a yoke, and meansfor rotatably securing said yoke to said body member.

3. A device as in claim 1, adapted to be used with a drill pipe having adrill pipe joint collar of larger diameter than the drill pipe proper,said cutaway portion being larger than the diameter of the drill pipeand smaller than the diameter of said drill pipe joint collar.

4. A device as in claim 1 in which said body member is formed with meansfor securing the end of said elongated flexible member thereto.

LOUIS J. HOPKINS.

